Vin-win Situation

Last-second Field Goal Ends Steelers' Streak

PITTSBURGH — Tom Brady entered the narrow hallway that led to the Patriots locker room, let loose a little whoop and shouted out a joyful soliloquy.

``Oh, they hate us here,'' Brady yelled, throwing back his head after the game. ``They hate us here. Wouldn't you hate us? They hate us here.''

How can they not? The Patriots' stunning come-from-behind 23-20 victory -- made possible by the usual fourth-quarter Brady heroics and Adam Vinatieri's last-second 43-yard field goal -- was the Patriots' fourth in five games against the Steelers, including victories at Heinz Field in the 2001 and 2004 AFC Championship Games.

Sunday's victory, which prevented the Patriots (2-1) from losing back-to-back games for the first time in three years, ended the Steelers' 16-game regular season winning streak two short of the Patriots' record. And the Patriots pulled it off despite again being unable to run the ball effectively (30 carries for 79 yards).

And they pulled it off despite having 10 penalties for 118 yards and three killer turnovers, two inside the Pittsburgh 10-yard line and one at their own 28. Both fumbles were Kevin Faulk's, killing one would-be Patriots touchdown drive at the Pittsburgh 8 in the second quarter and setting up a field goal that put the Steelers ahead 13-7 in the third.

But as Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel noted afterward about Faulk (seven receptions for 71 yards), ``Kevin always makes up for his mistakes.''

It would have been hard enough for the Patriots to pull off such a victory with a healthy corps of key players. That they did it after losing safety Rodney Harrison and offensive tackle Matt Light with first-half leg injuries -- both were carted off and could be out for several months -- made it all the more surprising.

But then, these are the Patriots.

``I don't think this team gets frustrated,'' said linebacker Chad Brown, a 13-year veteran but new to the Patriots. ``Not that I've noticed.''

So what that the Patriots gave up their longest play in 15 years, an 85-yard Ben Roethlisberger-to-Hines Ward pass play? So what that they lost Harrison, whom Vrabel called ``our heart and soul, our inspiration''? So what that when Light, who is responsible for protecting Brady's blind side, was sidelined, the left side of the line was manned by two rookies, guard Logan Mankins and Light's replacement, third-round pick Nick Kaczur?

``Of course I was nervous,'' Kaczur said. ``You don't want to be the one who goes in there and messes it all up.'''

And then, even when it looked as if Patriots cornerback and former Steeler Chad Scott messed it up, the Patriots recovered.

With 1:31 left and a perfect (9-for-9) Brady having led the Patriots from a 13-10 fourth-quarter deficit into a 20-13 lead, Roethlisberger and the Steelers, facing fourth-and-11 at the New England 27, were down to their last chance.

But then Roethlisberger threw a quick fade to the left corner at the goal line, and the ball fell incomplete. But a yellow flag fell, too. Pass interference was called on Scott (his third penalty of the game) for elbowing Quincy Morgan while the ball was in the air, giving the Steelers (2-1) first-and-goal at the 4.

When Roethlisberger (12 of 28, 216 yards, two TDs) threw complete over the middle to Ward on the next play and Jeff Reed kicked the extra point, it was 20-20 with 1:21 left. It was the same time that was left on the clock four years ago in New Orleans, when Brady came onto the field to lead the game-winning drive against the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Back then, the callow Brady's winning performance was a stunner. Now, after three Super Bowl victories and two Super Bowl MVP awards, brilliance is expected from Brady. And that is exactly what he delivered against a Steelers defense whose pass rushers were tired, further exposing their secondary.

Starting at his 38, good field position thanks to rookie Ellis Hobbs' 34-yard kickoff return, Brady completed a 17-yard pass play to Faulk, who was pushed out of bounds at the Pittsburgh 45 with 1:06 left. Then he flipped to a wide-open Patrick Pass for 14 to the 31. After Corey Dillon tried the middle of the Steelers line and got nothing, Brady hooked up with David Givens (nine catches for 130 yards) for 6 yards to the 25.

Close enough. The Patriots let the clock run down for Vinatieri, who booted his 43-yarder with 1 second left straight and true.

``It was a beautiful night,'' said Vinatieri, whose game-winner was at the open end of the stadium, where winds off the Allegheny River often affect kicks in late fall and winter. ``Toward the end of the game, it didn't feel like there was any wind at all.''

In the fourth quarter, Brady (31 of 41, 372 yards, one interception) threw to six different receivers and was 12-for-12 for 167 yards.